Forever and After
by Lyrical Rex
Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows. That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. But how hard is it to let go, really? Yami no BakuraRyou
1. LIAR

_start_

**Little Writer: **I, admittedly, have very little patience. First of all, I wanted to type up this story only _after _I'd finished writing it. I started typing half-way through February, and I've almost finished writing the story just this week. (Only a paragraph or so left!) Nextly, I wanted to post this up at the same time as the other story I'm working on, _Love the Player._ This was foiled when I learned that my **aunt** has my laptop, and said laptop will not be returned for a few months. So now... I've posted it. n.n!

**Little Writer** thanks **Bourei no Hikari **for Betaing/editing. And to **Satine89** who told me to finally end the gosh darn story when I kept complaining about how I couldn't end it after seventeen chapters.

**Please note** that each song this story is placed to is not owned by me, or near anywhere owned by me. This first songis my all time favorite anime theme song: _Duvet_ by **BoA, **theme song to Serial Experiments Lain.

**I have **poured myself into the making of this story for at least two months; I don't really remember when I started writing it, but I know it's the longest I've ever worked on a fic before typing it up to post it. The first few chapters are pretty short, but Ryou's chapters are longer than Bakura's.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Duvet.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart,is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 1- Liar**

((And you don't seem to understand  
A shame you seemed an honest man))

I love my hikari. I do, I do.

I can't help thinking this as I curl myself into Ryou's blankets, breathing in his delicious scent.

It's just the way his soft brown eyes smile at me, his delicious lips curving upwards. That's why I love him. Not that he's ever smiled at me. I like to daydream though. Can't harm anything, right?

It's because my Shadow Magic was so familiar with the face that it automatically chose that form, and no matter how I tried to force-shape the face, it always remained the same. I think my Shadow Magic loves him too.

I love my little Ryou. It hurts so much he's not mine, and I will never be his. In fact, what happened earlier today had to be proof of this.

It just made me so mad that Ryou could just–

"Yami?" The voice I fell in love with sounded softly from the doorway. My heart throbbed at the silhouette standing there, my red-rimmed eyes threatening to spill again. "Yami, are you all right? Without waiting for a response, my little tenshi entered his room, opening the shutters to reveal the noon-day sunlight. I blinked my eyes rapidly, letting my eyes adjust. Ryou pressed a cool hand to my forehead. "You look feverish..."

I could be optimistic about what this meant, except that he's Ryou; of course he would care about me, even if he hated me! I mean, I have no chance with the boy; look at what happened earlier that day...

Growling, I swatted the boy's hand away. "I'm fine," I snapped. Sitting up in bed, I glared at the white-haired angel as best I could, while he shuffled his feet a little.

"Ano... Yami? How was your day?" Ryou asked softly.

I remained determined not to melt at the voice. "What do you think? It's only noon. You think I would've been out by now?" I would not let him know that I was lying. "Where'd you go today?"

Ryou grinned slightly. I felt a pang, knowing what had happened to cause that grin. "Nowhere," Ryou relied.

_LIAR!_ My mind shouted.

"I got these rare cards for you." His hand delved into his pocket. "I went to the Kame Game shop to get it. They're some of Yuugi's rarest cards..."

Yami no Yuugi you mean? I stared at the cards the boy held out to me. My mind was filled with jumbled messages, thoughts, and feelings. I let the silence form a coherent sentence.

_LIAR! I SAW you! _

With that, I looked up at the shocked tenshi of mine, and slapped his card holding hand away, watching the cards he'd offered me scatter across the floor.

_Liar. _

With that, I fled.

((And all the fears you hold so dear  
Will turn to whisper in your ear))

_tbc_


	2. Explanation

_cont._

**Little Writer: **I'm pacing myself. Look for an update every two weeks. ((sighs)) There was much drama in my life today, and I wrote a story about it (per usual... I do that alot, actually. I turned my last me-centric fic into a different type of fic, but the roots are still seeable. The newest one is so blantantly me that I'm not even going to finish it. -.-;) Yeshes. I'm glad I have writing as an outlet. : D And I named my cell phone!

**Noyse,** after that girl in the Remnants. (Is that how it's spelt? I haven't read those books in forever!) Oh yes... **Blink 182 was** a major factor in my continuing to write this story after I'd finished the sixth chapter, since I like to leave people with cliff hangers... for eternity. ((points at California, Forgotten, Non confessions, and Lights out on Seto Kaiba, all of which were NOT supposed to be continued.))

**Forever and After** was named after a line in the song **Violence**. I'll explain later. (**Bourei no Hikari knows. :D)**

Oooh ooh ooh! **Little Writer would also **like to thank above person for betaing/editing! We were doing this Job-O thingy in class today, and I decided that instead of a novelist, I want to be an Editor when I grow up! (First I have to pass English. Easy class, sure... but I write sucky essays. I got a D- on the last one. I only got that kind of grade on a math test before! Wah!)

**Is Little Writer REALLY **Bourei no Hikari's idol? WAH! ((feels so loved: p)) I SO **thought it was the other way around.** ((Loves Bourei's stories as much as Misura's. Maybe more... except for **Forever not Yours**.))

**After three** paragraphs on Bourei, she thanks **Satine 89**, who was as much of a driving force as Blink 182. ((**swears** she saw Will at ScienCenter. Why would she lie?)) ((Would **also write** three paragraphs for Satine 89, but can't think of anything else to say but: Thanks for being her best friend... or something like that... And that she's not really getting glasses, so will be half blind for one more week.)) ((And that Little Writer is in **bliss** because HE almost tripped over her foot. **x.x** When will she stop being obssesive over idols? Wants to be **Donna** in the play because Mr. E told Donna **to kiss** HIS cheek. **Swears** she doesn't like HIM romantically, only **worships the ground** he walks.))

**The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco. **((Thanks girl with same name, along with favorite math teacher, for that phrase and said above incident involving HIM.))

**Totalanimefan12 , DmonXtrmN8r , Chrisoriented thanked** on accounta wanting her to update. ((thought Chrisoriented hated her for killing Mokuba...)) ((Shifty eyes.))

**Now after** such a long intro, story time! ((is crazy girl who **forced** **Bourei **to listen to **Duvet**, and **Joel** to listen to **Wind** (**Naruto** ending theme.))) _(Naruto-kun, you can do it!)_

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Duvet.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 2- Explanation**

((And you know what they say might hurt you  
And you know that it means so much))

Now's the time for a little explanation:

Pharaoh _Yami_ (what a ridiculous name) was known to be infatuated with my dear little hikari. Luckily, Ryou must be one of the thickest people I know, so he was completely oblivious to all the clues the former pharaoh dropped. As far as I ever knew, Ryou never returned his feelings. Or maybe I was the only one that knew of the pharaoh's infatuation, just as it was only him that knew of my own infatuation with the same little tenshi.

The former pharaoh turned it into another contest. "Who can steal Ryou's heart?"

Earlier the day I cried, I had been lying awake, listening to Ryou singing in the shower. My room shares a shower with his, so I wake up every morning just to hear his beautiful voice sing. He assumes I sleep until noon or past. Oh, how wrong he is. His voice is sweet as honey.

Well, I wasn't really lying awake. It was more like I was pressing my ear against the bathroom door to listen to Ryou's cheerful humming. There was also a bit of strain on my part; Ryou had woken up extremely early. Looking out the window, I realized it wasn't even dawn.

Ryou had apparently finished a shower, and I heard him run a brush through his hair hurriedly. There was a frenzied rustle of clothing, and Ryou cursing as he fell on the ground, probably pulling up his trousers. Ryou banged his bathroom door open in a hurry, feet padding loudly through his room, and out his own door. My door had been left open all night, so I stuck my head out my own door, watching him hurriedly zipping up, outside his bedroom door. The boy was shirtless, a loose flannelette slung over one shoulder. He glanced up at the clock. "Kuso!" he muttered. "I'm going to be late!" Late for what? I couldn't help wondering.

I was able to tail him, three blocks behind. As I walked swiftly and stealthily, I wondered what he'd be late for. Yuugi-tachi never met _this_ early in the morning. So what was Ryou late for? Ryou had gotten his shirt halfway buttoned by the time he took a sharp turn. Being so far behind, I quickened my step, worried of losing him. Finally, I dropped my stealth in preference of speed, starting to run to catch up to the white haired boy.

I wasn't worried about having my hikari. I was merely curious as to what he was doing out so early. I wasn't worried about my heart breaking, wasn't prepared. But when I reached the corner, that's exactly what happened.

Ryou's arms were wrapped around the pharaoh's neck, his lithe body pressed tightly against the once pharaoh's. Yami's left arm wrapped around the boy's waist, his right arm loosely around my hikari's upper back, right hand resting on the boy's shoulder.

I blinked the tears that were coming to my eyes for the first time in millennia. Once again, the pharaoh had bested me.

But this time, the pain was much more personal.

((And you don't even feel a thing))

_tbc_


	3. Why to Care

_Cont._

**Little Writer: **I'm a bad little girl. While I could've/should've been writing (or, in any case, doing my math homework (which still remains undone)), I went and read fanfictions all day… I became obsessed with reading this **KakaIru fic (A Birthday Present)** that I couldn't think of anything else for two whole days… and it turns out that it's not even finished yet, and the authoress is even lazier than ME! Well, lazier than Obscured Illusions, in any case. I realize I'm pretty good about updates compared to SOME people.

**It seems that I,** being me, you know, HAD to make people hate Yami, right? At least **three people** (including someone on KyokouGeemu) declared that they "Hated Yami Yuugi, and **he should die**!" Okay, so ONE person said that… but still…

**I want to edit** for VIZ when I grow up! It'll be the perfect job for me…. I don't really care for San Francisco, but working for VIZ would make up for that, right? n.n! **Endless thanks to **Bourei no Hikari, who I still need to send the rest of that one chapter… Meh… If **I** were **Misura,** I would be… er, flattered… that all these people idolize her. n.n! I read a lot of people's profiles who proclaim their love of her work.

Oh, and on **that note…** :D I KNEW (**just knew!) **that** Misura would** be the one to mention about what put Bakura in such a mood in chapter one. Although… I **am** surprised that no one else mentioned it. ((was ACHING to have someone ask her that! TT))

**Please remember that** this is all from Bakura's perspective, and many things he thinks are only things that he **thinks. And thanks to: ****Jazhira, Satine89, and Millennium Girl** for support! Muahzz! (And, if any body cares, HE let me listen to his **iPOD!** ((Dies… just about.))) Eek! My notes for this story are **so long… ! **(Not that any body cares but… I put "BakuraRyou" in the summary for a REASON! Ever since my first BakuraRyou story… ((shakes head))) I am a sad little fish. (Note: I HATE fish. And birds. Insects are good though) (Eek! Violence is stuck in my head!)

**Why didn't you tell me that THAT GIRL went to this school! She used violence on me! **- - Othello book 3

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Duvet.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 3- Why to Care**

((I am falling, I am fading,))

The tears had come continually since that fateful moment I saw them together. As I ran back home, I didn't care if I was being too loud. I didn't care if the echoes of my pounding footsteps could awaken sleepers. It had already hurt so much to know he'd never be mine, that I would never be the one in his heart. But knowing that his heart had been taken… my heart was in shreds. That the pharaoh had one upped me once again was enough to make me cry, enough to make me sob for the first time in millennia. Tears seemed foreign to me.

My vision blurring, I tripped a few times on the way up the stairs to the apartment Ryou and I shared. As I slammed the front door, I removed my shoes, habitually kicking them off to the side. On second thought, I placed the shoes neatly on the low shelf, where Ryou always put them when he found them out and about the house. Dammit. Ryou _again._

I flung myself into the first bedroom I came across, not noticing it was Ryou's. Outside the open window, the dawning rays of light flooded in, the sound of cheerfully cheeping birds flowing in as well. Growling, I stalked over to the window. "SHUT UP!" I yelled at them. At least I _tried _to yellMy throat was too hoarse from the tears. I slammed the window and the shutters shut.

With that, I flung my body onto the bed, Ryou's bed, to cry my eyes out.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I hated the words that defined "emotion." Jealousy, love, envy, anger, hate… I hated them all.

It's times like these that made me rue those words. Times like these made me wish they didn't even exist. Times like these made me wish _I_ didn't exist. I wished I was numb, the piece of ice everyone assumed I was.

The stabbing pain that had ripped through me at the sight of Yami and Ryou together came back ten-fold as I slammed the door to Ryou's room behind me. I wanted to flee further, but couldn't find the strength. Pressing my back against the door, I slid to the floor, sobbing into my hands.

Why did it have to be so bad? Why did I have to care?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ryou blinked, gazing sadly at the fallen cards. Why is it every time he tries to warm up to his yami, Bakura runs away?

Does the Thief King really hate him that much?

Ryou was hurt. He was hurt so badly… Ryou cried.

Because his face was wet with tears, he didn't notice that, when he buried his face in his pillow, it was wet too.

((I have lost it all))

_tbc_


	4. Loose

_cont._

**Little Writer:** I am too slow to be Shika-chan, and too slow to be even Kiba. -.- I've been getting so SLOW lately, darnit! > I haven't added to anything I've got posted yet... 'cept a tenth of Sun Treasure (though no one reading this story would like it) and a thenth of Green, Black, White. > I've had a few plot ideas, though, but no ideas for my fricken homework. I think I'm going to die of stress next year when I take enough honors/ap courses to get a 4.6 GPA... if I get A's, that is. And if I don't get A's anyways, my parents will kill me, no matter HOW hard the classes are. TT I also wanted to go into creative writing, but they don't offer courses like that for freshmen.

**Yes, I am** not even a highschool freshmen yet. Although I am old enough to be one! (I'm approx. the same age as my idol, give or take about sixth months.)

**DmonXtrmN8r** ... Thank you! For reviewing! This story isn't really giving me any confidence... I mean, I love this story, and went all out on it, but it's got less reviews than _Turtle food is not a pun, Peanut butter on the other hand... _

**And... **the ffn people decided that copy-pasting lyrics is not allowed. Does that mean no songfics? > 

Forever and After 4- Loose

((And you don't seem the lying kind  
A shame that I can read your mind))

It was afternoon, and as usual, we hung out at Yuugi's house. Yuugi's place was where their little group always gathered. This was mainly due to the fact that it was conjoined with the Kame game shop, and games are always what that little band was up to. There wasn't really any reason for me to come, but I tagged along just so I could sit and watch my pretty little hikari.

This day, Ryou and Yuugi lay stretched out in front of the television set, conversing idly as, once again, Yoh was beaten by Anna on the screen. I sat on the couch, death-glaring the pharaoh, who had moved from his seat on the armchair to the floor beside Ryou.

I felt jealousy throbbing through me as Yami leaned in to whisper to Ryou. My grip on my beer bottle tightened, turning my knuckles close to white.

The night before, I had had a dream that I, sitting on my couch and impossibly drunk (my Shadow-body _never_ got drunk), had confessed my feelings to Ryou, in a vague kind of way, but Ryou had… Ryou had kissed me. But this was a dream, and I had no clue why I thought of it as I watched Ryou blush and shake his head at the pharaoh's inquiry.

Oh, I was so jealous. I could only see the back of their heads, but I could see the pharaoh scoot close enough to breath in my hikari's ear. Ryou turned his head to Yami, and from his profile I could see his reddened face, embarrassment etched his features. Yami turned his head back and whispered something else, quite cheekily. Was he hitting on Ryou?

But then Ryou shoved Yami playfully, giggling as the pharaoh ruffled his white hair affectionately. "I'm going to get sodas," Yami announced. "Any requests?"

"You know what I want," Yuugi chirped. Ryou nodded wildly in agreement, eyes still on Yami.

"Tomb robber?" Yami queried. I focused my eyes on the TV, watching Anna bitch-slap Yoh again. Why did he put up with that girl? She didn't seem to love him; thatshe only everhad shed a few tears (more like two tear-drops)over him. "Do you want a drink?"

"I don't need anything _you_ have touched," I snarled viciously, glaring at the fellow Egyptian spirit.

"That's not very kind," Ryou reprimanded.

I snorted, not looking in his direction. "Do I care?" I ignored Ryou's gaze, although a strange fuzzy feeling rose in the back of my mind, having my love's eyes all on me.

"It's alright," the ex-pharaoh said, waving his hand dismissively. He went off to the kitchen.

I found my eyes wandering over to the lithe figure of my counter-part. As I gazed slightly, but not staring intently as I had been for the past couple of days, I wondered why I was fighting against him and Yami being together. I had to admit though, that Yami was, to a certain degree, handsome. An angel like Ryou at his side would have, back in ancient times, raised his status and made him the envy of all.

But if Ryou was happy, I should be happy for him, right? After all, I now lived for pleasing Ryou. I had woven my body from Shadows for him. He'd begged me to get out of his head, so I did. So if he wants Yami, I should let him be.

Yami tripped over his own two feet as he reentered the room, spilling cups of root beer all over the carpet, Yuugi, and Ryou. Ryou blinked, touching his sticky hair. "Ano… I think I should go get this cleaned up." Ryou stood, starting toward Yuugi's room.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said, standing up. "You're going to wear Yuugi's clothes?"

"But…" Ryou stammered.

"He has an extra set of clothing here already," Yami piped up.

I stared at Ryou, looking for any signs that contradicted this statement. None came. Instead, Ryou blushed and nodded slightly, not looking in my direction.

I snarled, attempting to cover up the sounds of my heart pumping in my ears and the shrill shriek that threatened to escape my throat. He had a set of clothes at the pharaoh's house. It might mean something, or it might not, but I chose the first option, being my overly jealous self.

The pain was beyond imagination. It was far worse than any other experience in my past three thousand plus years, including that morning. And that morning, I had shed tears for the first time in my life.

I averted my eyes from Ryou, praying that what I felt wasn't written all over my face. "Well…" I began, my voice trembling noticeably. "I'll see you at home, ne, Yadonushi?" With that, I fled the building.

Stupid pharaoh. He ALWAYS had to take everything, didn't he?

((And all the things that I read there  
Candle-lit smile that we both share))

_tbc_


	5. Fools

_Cont._

**Wheee!** Strawberri, my lover (or at least my bestest friend in the whole wide world whom I **platonically** love to pieces) finally is back on line! With a fixed computer! Grriiiiiin! And I have happy **happy** news in which I inadvertently told HIM about himself. I told him about my obsession with "a guy." And he gave me advice… and now that I've lied so much to him, and he told me to tell him the truth… what would he say now?

**Summer!** Is coming! Whee! Meh! ** Yunaresuka **and **Chrisoriented** are both beloved reviewers! I was feeling so depressed about this story, you don't even know. Straws knows though, because I told her every other day. Or class period, I'm not sure.

DISCLAIMER: Own Yugioh or Duvet, I do not.

**Forever and After 5- Fools**

((And you know I don't mean to hurt you  
But you know that it means so much))

Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd die for them? That you'd maim and kill for them? Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd cry over them? I have.

Ryou wasn't mine. Ryou never would be mine. When I slept, I always hoped to dream of him with me. This happened only once, though the rest of my dreams still contained Ryou. Finally, one of those dreams came true, the latter one, at least.

Every night I was plagued by dreams of Ryou with another one. One dream contained Kaiba, while the next contained Jounouchi. The ones that always hurt the most were the ones where Yami told Ryou, before drawing him in for a passionate kiss, that I only thought of Ryou as a bet. Yami would wink over my hikari's shoulder at me, making me want to shout, _Ryou! He lies! **He** is the one that finds you no more than entertainment!_

But at last, that was the truth of it all.

As I stalked angrily down the streets of Domino, I could only be envious of my long term rival. He stole everything from me. First it was my family, then my choice to live or die.

No, I never wanted to live forever. I was aiming to kill the pharaoh, not be stuck in a piece of metal for all eternity! Then again, I would never have met Ryou, the sole occupant of my mind. And if I hadn't, I wouldn't be feeling the gut wrenching pain I did now.

I wanted to burn. Burn the sins away.

I am the King of Fools. The worst of them all. Why? Because I had fallen for the one who would never love me back, the one who hated me for being… me.

I found myself outside of the Kame Game shop for the fifth time in two hours. Yami must think I'm a freak; he'd caught me looking in through the window a couple of times. The trio had moved out to the main shop some time after I left, but now Yuugi wasn't there. Presumably, he'd gone to take an early nap, or maybe make dinner for them.

My Shadow-stomach rumbled. It wanted meat.

Without realizing it, I found my nose was pressed against the glass, my eyes staring at the pretty boy with white hair that was speaking warily with Yami, all masks of content dropped. A soft blue and white flannelette draped languidly along the boy's thin frame, causing myself to look at my own attire. I was wearing Ryou's shirt now, because I had gone home to change before I came back to the game shop. It smelled of Ryou, which, I had to admit, was very nice. It was the main reason I'd chosen this shirt.

I turned my eyes back in time to see Ryou looking at Yami, with a soft smile on his face. It was one of those soft smiles I'd grown to love, the ones where the eyes themselves smiled. The kind that came from the soul.

I could only death glare the pharaoh with all my hatred and jealousy. He looked at me to match my gaze. That split second froze. Yami smirked, goading me to drag my Ryou away. Or at least to try; Ryou would never want to come with me.

Before Ryou could be alerted to my presence, I spun on my heel and returned home.

My stomach reminded me that I was hungry, and the only one I knew who would be willing to get a raw steak for me, was Ryou. Oh well, I supposed my body could go without food for another day.

((And you don't even feel a thing))

_tbc_


	6. Love

_cont._

**Lil Riter Sama Apologizesss! **Maa... Sorry for being so late with the update. I'm kinda sick, overworked, and the INSECTS ARE GOING TO DIE. Gah, sometimes I wish I were like, **Shino**, and bugs wouldn't bother me. Wah. And I'm in no mood to write long author notes. So that'll be it on my personal life. Except that HE knows know, and I'm still terrified of what he thinks, though it's been almost two weeks. Glory, two weeks! **Argh**. And I realized how totally "in love" with him I am, as in totally and completely **obssessed.** Fangirl obssessed.I don't think I'm really in love with him (if I was, wouldn't I fantasize about kissing him and killing his girlfriend? Which, of course, I don't.) My **brother **made some rude comment about "maybe I like both of them, and want to be in a three way relationship with them." I, of course, said no. And he said... "You'r probably in love with Strawberri, I'm not sure if you want your name out here, so I'm having this instead and you want to be in a three way relationship with HER and Adam!" Well, that'snot exactly what he said... but the conversation got around to that. And I said I would rather date Strawberri alone rather than have a three way relationship (things would be too complicated, I think.) And I'd rather date A-chan than a girl, but did he hear that last sentence?** Nooo...** So when I was talking to Straws on the phone later, he kept trying to tell Straws I went lesbian for her. Which is not true. It's kind of entertaining, kind of irritating. Not as entertaining as writing, but entertaining nonetheless.

Hmm... that DID get long... Annnyway, thanks **Bourei**, **Hikaru, Strawberri, and Nice Name.** Those are abbreviated, by the way. (Why I chose "Strawberri" rather than "Satine89" is beyond me. Just roll, won't ya?) This chapter, we say good bye to Duvetand Bakura's point of view. Everybody wave!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Duvet.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and after 6-Love**

((I am falling, I am fading, I am drowning,  
Help me to breathe))

I waited forever for my Light to come home, though I had no reason to. Ryou would always come home. He was a good little boy. So why did I feel the need to wait by the doorway like a worried girlfriend? I'm not a girl, Ra dammit!

So I decided, hell, maybe I should go hang with Malik and Marriku. They'd find a way to take my mind off these issues. Or maybe I should go find Ryou… ?

But that plan was foiled when I opened the door to reveal Ryou, standing there, about to knock. The boy could only blink. "Yami?" he asked.

_SLAP!_

My hand moved of its own accordance. In fact, my entire body was out of my control. I could only scream silently and pray whatever was controlling my body wouldn't betray me.

"Why do you love him?" I snarled. Ryou, in a quiet shock, raised his hand to his reddened cheek. He hadn't flinched at the connection, and he wasn't flinching now.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryou murmured in his honeysweet voice.

"You know _exactly_ what I mean!" I yelled. "You love the pharaoh! Don't deny it!"

Ryou blinked, acting confused. "…"

"He tells you to stay, you stay. You have a set of clothes at his house. You spend a lot of time alone together." I listed all the proof of their relationship. "I _saw_ you _together_ today! This morning _and_ this night!"

Ryou's eyes widened in shock. "No! We're not together that way, honest 'Kura!" he insisted, holding his hand up as if to ward off the words pouring out of my mouth.

"Don't call me that," I snapped, roughly pushing his hand away. "I saw you hugging him. You guys looked pretty cozy," I noted sarcastically.

Ryou inhaled sharply, preparing to speak. "That hug didn't mean a thing! Those cards I gave you? They were rare, not available to the public. Yami got them for me! So I could give them to you! I was _thanking _him!" Ryou's fists clenched at his sides, and the look in his eyes told me that no, he wasn't lying.

The only thing I hated more than myself at the moment was being wrong. I lifted my hand to swing it at his face again. I didn't want to, honest, but I couldn't control my own hand. He flinched, but the blow never came. I realized that this was _Ryou_ standing in front of me. Biting my lip, I withdrew my hand. I halfway wished I could disappear or return to the ring, but I couldn't. So I settled for the next best thing: I ran away. I'm sure that when Ryou opened his eyes, he was glad not to have me in his face. After all, he hated me, and I loved him.

Works in a full circle, right?

((I am hurting, I have lost it all  
I am losing  
Help me to breathe))

_end part I_

_tbc in part II_


	7. Dear Amane

_start part II_

_cont. from part I_

**Lil Riter: Maa…** I think I like Naruto more than Yugioh… but Yogiouh is still so much easier to write! And… **Omigosh HE** commented on my Non Confessions poem (posted on Myspace, not the Fanfiction version) And HE said that it was "beautifully scripted" and "Easily classifiable as a classic" and that I "continue in developing myhis own poetic skills and muses." I want to stick the word Cultivate in there. Must be listening to Akeboshi too much. Anyway, I'm planning on writing a secondNon Confessions chapter. Just a heads up, so you can look forward to it. n.n

**Anyway, here we start act/part II.** In this part, we realize that Yami Bakura's love is requited (Thank Goodness… or really, me) and we realize that Yami's feelings are indeed genuine and he does not think of Ryou as a game either (well, I HAD to clarify that, because I seem to have been making a nice club of Yami haters) and we'll start on a new song: Everything You Want, Vertical Horizon. It's the best song of all time (or at least I think so.) I'm actually working on a sequel, focusing on Yami, though I think he should get paired with someone, and I'm open to suggestions about who!

**Bourei no Hikari **is such a patient person, and I should be typing up the last few chapters, but I'm afflicted with laziness of un-proportional amounts. **Straws** is thanked for assuring me that this story is getting much better, and for sticking me in a scene with A-chan. :D Then **Asaake, Dark Magician Girl Hikaru, Cgflower (!), Silverwitch07, and Vexinia** for loving this story! Or at least liking it. n.n!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 7- Dear Amane**

((Somewhere there's speaking  
It's already coming in  
Oh and it's rising at the back of your mind))

I could date my feelings back to a couple days before I gave my yami his cards, when I was cooking dinner for the two of us as usual. Well, cooking shouldn't really be the word; Bakura ate his steak rare, and all I had anyways was a piece of fruit.

It's odd, calling someone else by your surname. Since he'd forgotten his own over the years, I offered him my own name. But it still feels strange calling him Bakura, when I myself was Ryou Bakura.

Bakura was staring at me again. Why did he do that? It was slightly unnerving, but I tried hard not to show my discomfort. He's contradictory, my yami. A paradox unto itself. When he was in my head, he complained about not having a body of his own, yet it took an amount of pleading on my behalf to get him to leave. Then, as soon as he gets his own body, he ignores me. Yet his eyes follow me everyday. The week before, Yugi's yami had asked him why he stared at me.

"Marriku stares after his hikari," Bakura pointed out.

"Well, that's different, because Marriku is in obvious love with Malik. Does that mean you love Ryou?" was the reply.

Bakura had looked away, stubbornly shaking his head. I wasn't in love with my yami, but it felt kind of sad to know he stared at me for no reason. Was it only that I was the only thing interesting in the room?

I can never understand him. Like that night, the night I was talking about, he announced he would stop eating steak. I couldn't help laughing.

"What's so funny?" Bakura asked, frowning.

"Bakura," I gasped finally, "You can't _eat_ anything else. I can't make you anything else to eat either."

Bakura opened his mouth to retort, but realized I was right. He closed his mouth, and started eating.

I pealed a single banana, leaning against the kitchen counter as I did so. I could feel Bakura's eyes on me again. All of a sudden, I felt giddiness. I was glad and nervous all at once just to be in Bakura's presence. I was scared of messing up.

_But what is there to mess up? You don't… You don't like him!_

I decided that my yami's stares were getting to me. "You know what?" I announced. "I think I'm going to finish this up in my room."

Without waiting for a reply, I left.

By this time I definitely _knew_ something was wrong with me. My room was never where I hung out, etcetera. I rarely used it for anything besides sleeping, studying, and writing letters to Amane. Any other time, I avoided it like the plague.

Scared out of my wits, I sat down at my desk. Setting out a piece of stationary, I took a pen in hand. Some people may find me deranged— writing letters to my dead relatives—but it's like someone writing in a diary. It's an outlet. So I wrote:

_Dear Amane._

_Your big brother had something weird happen to him today. You know that guy I've been writing about lately? That Bakura? Well, he's been acting strange lately. He stares at me when I'm not looking. It's getting unnerving._

_What's even more unnerving is that I think he's getting to me. For some reason, I felt giddy around him, as if I liked his attention._

_Amane, I'm afraid that I'm falling in love with him._

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

I blinked as I reread my letter, not believing what I'd written. Quickly, I tore the paper neatly in half, and twice again. I retrieved a new sheet, and began again. _"Dear Amane."_

This time, I omitted Bakura.

((You never could get it  
Unless you were fed it  
Now you're here and you don't know why))

_tbc_


	8. Deny all you want

_cont._**  
**

**Sad**, how short my chapters are, isn't it? This one was about 570 words, last one 970 WITH all my notes. Very very sad. Anyway, Chapter!

Yay! I got a 1:7 chapter to review ratio! Awesome! That's good! I got eight reviews last chapter! Yay!

Thank you: **Vixenia** (Yay, an update!) **Loathed Wolf Spirit **(Yay, more chapters!) **Dark Magician Girl Hikar**u (Yay, I wrote more!) **T lei **(Yay, an- Um, a confused Bakura) **Satine89 **(Yay, a confused Ryou!) **Ruler of Dark and Light **(Yay, ANOTHER CHAPTER!) **Asaake** (Yay, an update!) **AnimeLoverAngel **(Yay, I kept going!) **Silverwitch07** (Yay, I wrote more!)

YAY! A STORY! WITH RYOU AND BAKURA! AND ROMANCE! AND ANGST! AND-

Voice: Shut up.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 8- Deny all you want**

((But under skinned knees and the skid marks  
Past the places where you used to learn))

"Hey Pharaoh, got any new cards?" my yami asked as we entered the gameshop.

Yami's typical reply came back as, "Like I'd tell _you_, Tomb Robber."

I frowned slightly, but Bakura just shrugged. "No harm in asking, ne?"

"Yes there's harm," Yami, former pharaoh, hissed across the counter at my darkness.

I had to intervene before anything erupted. "Any new cards arrive?" I piped. This was the only thing that came to mind. My darkness merely snorted, rolled his eyes, and strolled over to a rack of gaming magazines.

"Yeah," Yami replied smoothly. "Shipment came in today. I'm not allowed to unpack until tomorrow though, but I could still get you a few if you want," the ancient spirit offered.

Bakura's page flipping grew silent. "Ano…" I mumbled slowly, not wanting to say yes and hurt my yami's feelings, or say no and hurt Yuugi's yami's feelings.

"Oh this blows," my darkness announced suddenly, slamming his magazine shut. "Are we just going to stand around here? Everyone should be at the arcade already. Let's go, Ryou," he commanded, walking over to the door.

"Hey, my shift ends in half an hour, alright? When Yuugi's grandpa comes back, I'll be going. Can't you just wait for me?" the pharaoh snapped.

"Alright," Bakura snorted derisively. "That's good for you, but I'm still going now. Ryou, are you coming?" Yuugi's Yami and mine both looked at me expectantly.

I shook my head. "Ano… it just doesn't seem nice to leave Yami alone." I couldn't look either of them n the eye. Instead, I folded my hands and set them on the counter, staring hard at them.

I heard a ringing of bells that announced the entrance/exit of a person. I looked up to see that Yami and I were the only ones in the shop. I looked out the window to see Bakura's form stalk angrily by. I realized that I wanted to run after him and apologize or something.

I wanted to do that, but I didn't.

"You like him."

Startled by this blunt accusation, I could only stare at the spiky haired spirit. "Wh-what did you ask-k?"

"I didn't ask anything," Yami said, checking his nails. "Merely pointing out that you seem to like him."

"I don't!" I protested in shock. Because I didn't, right?

"Mm-hm…." Yami snorted. "I remember doing the same exact thing three thousand years ago, denying my feelings, that is. Not for the tomb robber, of course. Anyways, you want the cards? I can get them for you when the group gets together tomorrow."

"But I don't want my yami to know I came to you for cards." I instantly clapped a hand over my mouth.

Yami laughed and patted my white hair. "Deny all you want, Ryou, but you like him. Might as well give these cards to him. They're all occult, so it'd fit good in his deck." I nodded silently, not bothering to protest again, knowing that Yami'd only laugh.

((You howl and listen  
Listen and wait for the  
Echoes of angels who won't return))

_tbc _


	9. Kiss the boy

_cont._**  
**

**(Thanks VixeniaandAnimeLoverAngelandDarkMagicianGirlHikaruandStrawsand T.Lei for reviewing!)  
**

**Mmm... yeah...** The little Vietnamese girl is going off to college next week:p UC Santa Cruz! Don't worry, I'll be back in a few weeks, but I wanted to let you all know that I will not be having access to computer for all three of 'em. So Yeah. I'm updating right now because I won't be able to until then. I'd be happy if I came back and my email inbox said I had a lot of reviews _hint hint._ Anyway... Yeah. So don't go all whiney and tell me to update or die, because I won't be able to hear/read you. Oh, and it's 1:5, not 1:7 (though I wish it were... **hint hint**)

**Oh, and Straws?** You didn't read the part where it reveals that Yami is in love with Ryou yet, did you? I thought you did. Oo... Anyway, a couple chapters ago, I stated in the chapter notes that Yami is in love with Ryou. (I like piling on the angst- I'm an angst junkie.) I've been sick lately to, and I'll attribute that to why I'm not typing more stuff and sending it out to **Bourei no Hikari** to get Beta'd. **I HOPE YOU'RE ALL READING THIS!** By " this" meaning that first paragraph up there. Cause, you know, if you told me to update or die, it'd be fruitless. Anddd...

**WAH! **I had a notebook, with this really great one shot in it... and now I can not fricken find it! I looooved it soooooooo much, that one shot, and that notebook to, but more the one shot, and I wanted to post it, but I can't because I don't have it! WAH!

**PS: I hate this chapter. It didn't work out on so many levels, but I've tried and tried and tried and tried**

Voice: You tried?

**-to make it alright, but it won't and so also the song doesn't fit very well here. And this part sucks.**

** OH! And yes, Act II starts before Act I. Sorry, forgot to mention that.  
**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 9- Kiss the boy**

((You're waiting for someone  
To put you together  
You're waiting for someone to push you away))

"Where is he?" I asked for the millionth time. "You would know, right, Yami? He told me that the yamis were interconnected because of the Shadow Magic and all…"

"Relax, Ryou. The thief's just being an arse." I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder, trying to get me to relax. This only made me tense up more.

I tried to make a playful face as I swatted Yami's arm away, but I think it came out too strained. Yami laughed. "Let's go play shooters," I suggested, changing the subject. I ended up not having fun, but I tried to. Honestly, I tried.

I just couldn't keep my mind off my own darkness.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was nearing sunset when I returned home. Once I was inside, I slipped off my shoes, placing them on the shoe rack. Bakura's were kicked off to the side as usual. Sighing, I picked them up and placed them on the shoe rack as well.

My darkness sat on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table, next to an empty sake bottle. I frowned a little as I watched Bakura watching the TV, sipping from another sake bottle, one that was nearly empty. I didn't know if it was possible for his Shadow Body to get drunk. He noticed me standing in the doorway, and beckoned me to sit with him. Hesitating, I did. "Yami, where'd you get the sake?"

"Yarriku left it a while back. Ne'er took it back. I dink he was trying to shtop Malik from drinking." I grabbed the bottle away from him. How he managed to get himself in such a state... "Hey Ryoo… If you want'd a drink, juss ask." I handed the bottle back in disgust.

My father had always taught me that English was a worthwhile language to learn. He wanted me to go to Oxford, in fact. So as a result, my TV picked up American satellite channels. My darkness was watching an American music channel. They were playing a succession of music videos, all in English. I understood it well enough, though, like my darkness.

We sat in a silence broken only by the music from the TV, which was currently "Violence" by Blink 182. I liked the song. The beat was slightly soothing, but slightly depressing. The bass and drums that set the beat always drew me into the song.

I shifted uncomfortably under my yami's gaze. I felt odd, like I was doing some disservice by not looking back at him. "Yaknow, angel?" my darkness slurred. I tried ignoring the nickname. It sounded so… not-quite-right coming off of his tongue. "This song? It's how I feel," he started again, taking a swig. "'_You speak and make time stand still, and each time you walk right on by_,'" he sang along softly. An arm snaked around my neck that I tried to ignore. "Song reminds me of you. I feel like that… every time."

I glanced sharply at the other. "What?" I whispered, trembling. I backed up quickly, seeing that oh so familiar psychotic look in his eye. I was pressed against the armrest, gazing up into the face of my other half, him having advanced. I closed me eyes, bracing against a blow or something. He'd never hit me before, but…

He came so close to me that our foreheads were pressed together. I felt my breath hitch due to the intimacy of our positions. My heart's pounding drowned out the music. "I feel that way every time I see you, Ryou."

I had no idea how long we stayed like that, me with my eyes closed, Bakura's thumb tracing over my cheek bone and lightly brushing my lower lip, making it tingle a little bit. I found my lips pressing against the thumb. Was I… kissing it?

Chuckling, Bakura removed his thumb from its position on my lips. "K- Kura?" I stammered.

He snorted. "Don't call me that." He suddenly laughed maniacally, rivaling the laugh of Marriku's. This made me question… Why did Kura call Marrikku by Malik's pet name for him? "I'm drunk…" he muttered, smiling sarcastically. "I thought I couldn't get drunk…" He sighed. "Ryou, you'll stay with me forever, right?"

"As- as long as I can, Kura."

"Don't call me that," he snapped again. Suddenly, he looked at me remorsefully. "I'm sorry. I don't want to scare you off. I don't know what I'd do if you left. I never want you to go away…" His voice faltered. Soon, he was asleep. Knocked out, unconscious. Inching closer to his form, I studied my dark's features in depth for the first time.

He looked like me, except that he was lankier, with longer lashes and wilder hair. He had tried to make his body like the original one he'd hand millennia ago, but for some reason could only look like me. Was it because he'd forgotten his own face? In this lighting though, with the music in the background, he looked…

_Beautiful? _Without thinking, I pressed my lips softly against his.

My mind was screaming NO so loud…

And my heart was screaming YES, all at once.

((There's always another wound to discover  
There's always something more you wish he'd say ))

_tbc_


	10. Forget him

_cont_**  
**

**I'M BA-ACK! **((Cricketts)) Oh come on, I know you all missed me! What's that? I never called? I never wrote a letter? Well, forgive me if I was too busy learning to write! Gosh, I'm not a letter Writer either (nevermind the fact that my first assignment WAS to write a letter...) Yeah, retaliation to parents who never read this stuff. Anyway, so a few random things happened to me in the last coupla weeks. Met my favorite science teacher's next-door-neighbor (Straws, woulda told ya, but I couldn't find the time) Met my new best-camp-friend who's as into fanfiction and shounen-ai as me (We even like some of the same pairings! Cept she's a major fan of Uke!Sasuke, while I'm more in favor of him being Seme.) Aannnnd... met a guy who claims to be related to Jesus the Nazerean. He's also hot and talented at the Guitar and Piano and other things. n.n!

**Guys in drag are funny. Helping guys dress in drag is funnier. Guys who stuff their bras with oranges are the greatest.** Anyway, other than that, my sister went ta NYNY and got me a Phantom of the Opera songbook! Funness! I've been playing the music over and over. I think my little brother's gotten annoyed.

Thank you to the five who reviewed! ((GLOMP!)) **animeloverangel vixenia t.lei satine darkmagiciangirlhikaru**

And, um, be forewarned that I don't really like the ending of this chapter. At all. That last chapter I was a little whiney about, but this... worse. Worse. Worse.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 10- Forget him**

((But you'll just sit tight  
And watch it unwind  
It's only what you're asking for))  
  


I pulled away from my Yami, my thoughts screeching through my head and crashing into one another.

_No! This is too fast! You only just realized that you—_

—_but how ridiculous does **that **sound? You can't—_

_Like him? That's out of question! He's too—_

_Beautiful for you. You thought so yourself. That's why—_

_You kissed him! You can't just—_

_You can't let him remember a thing!_

My head shot up at that idea. That was it! I jumped off the couch, and retrieved the Sennen Ring from its spot hanging on my wall.

I could control an extent of Shadow Magic, if I could use an apparatus, such as a Sennen Item. Sitting in front of my sleeping darkness, I couldn't help feeling treacherous at the thought of erasing his memory. But I had to, because if he woke up thinking he'd told me all those things… Then… What would he do? He wasn't known for physical acts of violence against me, but now that he had his own body, it could turn around at any time.

_I'll do his memory first… Then I'll do mine…_

* * *

The thief lord woke up, startled. I sat on the couch, feet up (imitating his own position), watching TV. "Thank God, I thought you would never wake up!" I grinned. "It's time for dinner." My yami's eyes darted to the clock, which registered nine o'clock. 

"You mean it was all a dream?" he asked, disheartened. I faked a questioning look at him. He looked as if he would say something more, but then he turned away. "Never mind." I felt a pang at his depressed tone, and had the urge to tell him the truth, but clamped my mouth tightly shut.

"Your steak is on the table," I told him. "I'm not feeling well, so I'm going to bed early. See you in the morning." I bolted up the stairs, hiding the Ring under my shirt. It worked on him. I hoped it would work on me.

* * *

_Dear Amane,_

_It's so early right now. I just woke up after an odd dream… It makes me laugh, sort of. I kissed Bakura! And then I erased his memories of it… And I don't remember what happened after that, but that's weird, isn't it? I mean, I don't even like him that way!_

_Well I guess I'd better get ready to go. Yami offered to meet me before dawn to get me some new cards. Good friend, isn't he? Just watch me and make sure I don't mess up, Ama-chan._

_Love Forever,  
Ryou_

((And you'll be just fine  
With all of your time  
It's only what you're waiting for))

Post script: Yes, that's right, Ryou erased his memory before writing that letter. Okay?

Post Post script: Um... I'm not sure if that's the version that Bourei read. If it wasn't, Bourei can send me hate mail or somin. Right then.

_tbc_


	11. Hold me

_cont._**  
**

**Maa...** Sorry for taking so long with this! n.n

**Thank you so much vixenia and animeloverangel! **I love it when I get reviews within a couple hours of posting! n.n **Darkmagiciangirlhikaru and mintydreams7 and mana-the-authoress are thankied too!** I've been wrapped up in a massive AU world I'm trying to work out. Oo... Includes multiple series and a crossdressing Ryou! n.n _Love the Player _isn't getting off the ground, but it's Naruto counterpart already has two paragraphs...

Yeah, this chapter looks familiar. This is the place where Act I and Act II overlap for about a chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the most part, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 11-Hold me**

((But you'll just sit tight  
And watch it unwind  
It's only what you're asking for))

Yuugi and I lay stretched out in front of the TV, conversing idly as we watched Shaman King. I loved hanging out at Yuugi's house. He's got so many games, and I've been here so often that I kept an extra set of clothes at Yuugi's house in case I stayed too late and had to sleep over. My yami—Bakura, I reminded myself—stretched himself on the couch, and Yami moved to the floor next to me.

"Did you give him the cards?" Yami inquired. I blushed at the mere thought of the tears I had shed over my Yami's rejection of the cards, deciding it'd be easier just to shake my head no. "You should ask him out," Yami whispered in my ear. Yuugi nodded in agreement, somehow hearing what Yami was saying. I found myself blushing madly. "If he rejects you," Yami continued, "You could always date me!" Giggling, I playfully shoved the pharaoh. Laughing, Yami ruffled my hair. Standing up, he announced he would be getting drinks.

"You know what I want," Yuugi piped. I nodded in agreement. We always had the same thing; root beer.

"Tomb Robber?" Yami asked. "Do you have any requests?"

"I don't need anything _you_ have touched," my darkness snarled.

I looked at my obviously distressed and vicious yami. His knuckles were white as he gripped the beer bottle. I flushed, suddenly remembering my awkward dream of kissing him. Trying to shake the thoughts from my head, I chimed in, "That's not very nice, mou hitori."

The fiend snorted, not bothering to look at me. "Do I care?"

I was about to protest when the pharaoh waved it off. "It's alright," he said. I would've protested, but he had already gone off to the kitchen.

I sighed and looked back at the TV. Bakura was definitely difficult some times. Bakura was staring at me again. I rested my head on my arms and looked up at the TV. Sometimes I wished he would just look me in the eye.

"You really like him, don't you?" Yuugi whispered.

I sent a glare at Yuugi, though I knew it probably looked soft and petty. "You and Yami should stop sticking your noses in—" Yami tripped in, spilling root beer everywhere. It wasn't fair that most of it got on me. Have you ever been drenched in root beer or some other soft drink? It's sticky and disgusting. "Ugh," I said softly, touching my hand to my hair. "I think I should to go get this cleaned up." Reluctantly, I stood up, heading towards Yuugi's room. To tell the truth… I kind of didn't want to leave the room Bakura was in. I sighed mentally. I sounded so sappy.

The expression on Bakura's face confused me. I saw a look of… hurt? No, that was my imagination. Some type of contempt or the other, because Bakura's face flushed. I opened my mouth to ask about it, but he spoke first. "Well, I guess I'll see you at home then, ne, Yadonushi?" And then he took off. Just like that.

I shouldn't have cared, but it was disheartening to see him run.

-

"I tried to give them to him! Honestly!" I explained to the former pharaoh. "But I can't get to him. Every time I try to do something nice, he runs away… and it hurts _so much_…"

"You really like him, don't you?"

I leaned against the counter, sighing exasperatedly. "Kind of," I murmured, smiling slightly. "I don't know." I looked up to see Yami gazing out the window. I trailed his gaze into the darkness beyond. "Yami?"

"It's nothing," he replied, running a hand through his tri colored hair. "Listen, he loves you. Have you seen the way he looks at you?" Now that I thought of it… no. I shook my head. "I never really noticed when he acts weird, but lately…" I shook my head again, flushing.

"What?" Yami asked, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to the middle of the floor. I was startled, nearly stumbling over my feet. He caught me with his other arm around my waist. With his right hand, he let go of my wrist and gently cupped my chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting my head upwards a bit so our eyes met.

I flushed. "Last night I dreamt of kissing him."

Suddenly, Yami laughed. He wrapped his other arm around me and hugged me tightly, just like how he hugged me that morning. Wrapping my arms around the pharaoh's neck, I relaxed into the comforting embrace. I could only wish my own yami would hug me like that.

_What did I just think?_

((And you'll be just fine  
With all of your time  
It's only what you're waiting for))

_tbc_


	12. Realize

_cont_

**Little Writer is officially a lazy ass.** She is. She promised chapters for **Bourei** _immeasurable thanks _but hasn't even started typing them yet. She feels like it. But she isn't. Cause she doesn't like typing on the desktop.

**AnimeLoverAngel, let-me-cry, Hiei, Jaganshi11, Ryou VeRua, vixenia, **and**Senko **for all keeping faith in me and boosting my confidence. **"The Flamer**, I have one thing to say. ((GLOMP)) Finally someone shares my opinion that it sucks!

THIS IS THE LAST OVERLAPPING CHAPTER! Next time, we move on to bigger and better and more alcohol happy things!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the most part, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and After 12-Realization**

((Out of the island  
Into the highway  
Past the places where you might have turned))

It was a long walk home that night. I wanted more than anything to wake up in my warm bed and know that it was a dream. An awful, humiliating dream. The only thing bad about that day was the soda incident, sure, but it was awful… and humiliating. Ra, why did Bakura have to be there? Why did he have to react like that? Not to mention I was still upset about that morning, when Bakura knocked those cards out of my hand.

All too soon I found myself face to face with the door to the apartment. When I tried the door, it was locked. It took me a minute of searching through my pockets to realize that I didn't have a key. I'd left it with my other clothes at Yuugi's house. Great, now I'd have to knock and bother Bakura, who'd be upset about being bothered. Slowly, I raised my hand to knock…

When the door swung open and I was face to face with my darkness instead of the door. I was surprised for a moment and unable to say a word before he slapped me.

"Why do you love him?" Bakura demanded.

Oddly enough, I didn't feel the blow. I raised a hand to where the after-tingle was. My eyes weren't even watering, and I was in a daze, as if I was detached from my body and my urge to curl up and bawl didn't mean a thing. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, tilting my head back to look into my yami's eyes.

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about!" Bakura's yells were bordering on hysterical shrieks. "You and the pharaoh are together, aren't you?" he demanded.

You could never get as shocked as I was that second. Was he jealous? "Um…"

"He tells you to stay, you stay," he said, counting on his fingers. "You spend almost all your time together, don't deny it!" he added, pointing at my expression. "I _saw_ you together! You were hugging--this morning, and this night!"

My eyes widened. Scratch my previous comment. _This_ was true shock. Did he really see me hugging Yami? "No, ' Kura! We're not together like that! Honest!" I held my arms out away from me, warding off any more accusations.

"Don't call me that!" he snapped back, pushing my arms away. "I saw you embracing him, I swear. And then you had the nerve to try sucking up to me with those cards of yours!"

I inhaled sharply at the harsh tone. Bakura had no right to be jealous! To tell me I've been sucking up? Goddammit, and to think I thought he knew me! "That hug didn't mean anything to me!" I exploded. "Those cards were rare, and not yet available to the public, and I got Yami to get them for you--us!" I really hoped he didn't notice my slip up. "I was _thanking_ him!" I clenched my fists tightly, glaring as hard as I could.

Silently, he took a step forward. My heart pounded, trying to remind me of last night's dream. I mentally scolded myself and shook it off harshly.

I flinched as Bakura swung the back of his hand at me again. But the hit never came. I slowly opened my eyes to see my darkness turn around abruptly and walk away. There was an odd heaviness of my heart and a knot in my stomach.

Bakura slammed the door to his room, the _bang_ echoing through the small apartment.

A dull ache pounded in my chest. As if in a trance, I glided into the apartment, kicking off my shoes and taking the time to notice that Bakura's were placed neatly on the shoe rack. I snorted. Since when did Bakura do that?

Flopping onto the couch, I turned the TV to that American music station. _"But I'd play with fire to break the ice. And I'd play with a nuclear device. Is this something I'll regret? Why do I want what I can't get? I wish it didn't have to be so bad."_

Blink 182 again. I sighed. Weren't they the ones who sang that other song, the one from my dream? There it was. That dream again. Did I really want to kiss my darkness? I sighed. Suddenly I realized that Yami was right all along. I loved my darkness.

_And they say realization is the worst thing of all._

((You never did notice  
But you still hide away  
The anger of angels who won't return))

_end part II_

_tbc in part III_


	13. BaKu, KuRa

_start part II_

_cont. from part I_

**Little Writer is **_**still **_**a lazy ass.** If it were worth the trouble, she'd mail her F&A notebook to someone else to type it up for her. Unfortunately, it isn't.

Also Unfortunately, this will probably be the only fiction "Christmas gift" she'll be writing. She honestly hoped to even _write _a little bit of the Christmas story she's got left over from last year, or maybe even _type_ another chapter of this story. Maybe even take on a few Harry Potter challenges. Unfortunately, she's spending her winter break looking up Harry Potter slash and playing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Writing sparsely. Because she's **lazy.** _(:frets: Maybe I shouldn't've said that. Readers will totally maul me.)_

_I heart: _**AnimeLoverAngel**, **Ryou VeRua**, **HieiJaganshi11**, **mana-the-authoress**, **Baada**, **Senko**, **Andyouthinkimcrazy**, **twilightkura**, **let-me-cry**, **Cains Angel, SisterOfTheOrichalco****s**, and (of course)** Bourei no Hikari. **_Wish me luck on my Journey to Chase Plot Bunnies! _

** No more songs. I ran out. T.T **But hey, it's not like they weren't only there for my personal amusement, right?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the most part, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

**Forever and after 13- Ba-Ku, Ku-Ra**

Bakura pressed his back against the door. _Ra,_ he hated himself! Why did he have to hit Ryou? But… a large weight had been lifted off his chest. Ryou wasn't _with_ Yami! But then again…

There was no way that Ryou could ever forgive him for what he had just done.

If only he had been able to contain his jealousy! Would Ryou have loved him back? Like in his dream last night, the one where he'd felt Ryou's lips against his own…

Unconsciously, the fiend brought his fingers to his lips. Why could his body remember feeling things that never happened?

(-)

Ryou lay on the couch, feet propped on the opposite arm rest, nodding his head to the music from his big black earphones. He didn't notice his counterpart until his earphones were taken off.

"Excuse me!" Ryou protested. "I was listening to that!"

Yami no Bakura twirled the earphones in his fingers. "It's so loud I could hear it from the hall. You'll damage your ears."

Ryou jumped up, reaching for his earphones as Bakura held them just out of reach. "Give them—!"_ Back_, he was about to say.

"—Sorry." Bakura dropped his hand down and handed Ryou what he wanted.

"_What?_" Ryou was stupefied. Had his darkness just apologized?

"Nothing!" Bakura snapped. "I'm going out." With that, he left, slamming the apartment door closed behind him.

(-)

This entire situation was so damn stupid! He hadn't felt this kind of emotion in millennia, so why now? Why for his ex-host? Bakura stopped pacing and finally dropped to the sidewalk. He wrapped his arms around his legs and hid his face from the world. The sidewalk was dark and damp and people kept passing in front of him, and the street lights were flickering on. This was probably a place Malik always dragged his psychotic other half to.

"Look, look, Marriku! It's Ku-Ra!" Giggle.

"Shh, love. It's not nice to point."

Bakura lifted his head and glared at the two Egyptians before him. "Go away," he hissed.

The Egyptians ignored his command and plopped down on the ground on either side of Bakura.

"Yo Ku-Ra!" the drunken Malik greeted. "Why so sad?" He really did sound stupid when drunk.

"Don't call me that!" Bakura snapped. No one could call him that, or any name other than his own. The only person he'd let call him anything other than "Bakura" or "Spirit of the Ring" was Ryou. He would let Ryou call him anything if that meant Ryou didn't hate him.

"Tell me the truth, Bakura," Marriku said on the other side of him. "I've seen you better."

The hikari giggled drunkenly. "Tell tell, Ba-Ku!"

"No way." Bakura huffed and looked away. "_Ack! _Marriku, keep a _leash_ on your damn _hikari_!" Bakura rubbed a sore spot on his arm.

"Ah, sorry about that. He gets a bit bitey when someone disobeys his orders."

"Order? _Order?_ He's ordering me to tell him my problems?" Bakura snarled.

"Yea!" Malik cheered. "Ba-Ku _has_ to tell now!"

Despite himself, Bakura snickered at the flushed blond. "Fine…"

_tbc_


End file.
